Feidhlimidh Mág Samhradháin

The ruins of Ballymagauran Castle destroyed by Oliver Cromwell in 1649, Templeport parish, County Cavan, Ireland.

Feidhlimidh Mág Samhradháin, the Second, (anglicised Felim or Phelim McGovern) d. 20 January 1622, was chief of the McGovern Clan and Baron or Lord of Tullyhaw barony, County Cavan from before 1611 until his death on 20 January 1622.

Ancestry

His ancestry was Feidhlimidh son of Brian son of Tomás (d. 1532) son of Maghnus (d. 1497) son of Tomás Óg (d. 1494) son of Tomás na Feasoige (d. 1458) son of Fearghal (d. 1393) son of Tomás (d. 1343) son of Brian ‘Breaghach’ Mág Samhradháin (d. 1298).^[1] He was the third eldest son and had two brothers who preceded him as chiefs of the clan, Tomas Óg Mág Samhradháin and Brian Óg Mág Samhradháin, together with a third brother Emonn of Lissanover.

Elizabethan Fiants

Feidhlimidh first comes to notice on 19 January 1586 when Queen Elizabeth I of England granted a pardon to Phelim m'Brien m'Thomas Magawran, of Colleaghe, for fighting against the Queen's forces.^[2]

Jacobean Fiants

On 30 April 1605 King James VI and I granted a further pardon to him as Phelim McGaran of Tolaghagh, for fighting against the King's forces.^[3]

Coologe Castle

Feidhlimidh’s castle was in the townland of Coologe, now in the parish of Templeport, County Cavan. An earthen ringfort now on the shore of Coologe Lough is probably the site of the castle.^[4] Poem 1 by Giolla Pádraig mac Naimhin in the Book of Magauran describes what the castle looked like about 1290 A.D.^[5] It is described as a strong compact stout castle with interior walls of white hazel-wood which were covered with satin and tapestries. Along the wall were weapon racks with blued-iron spears, javelins and bridles. The door of the castle was ribbed in gold. The palisade outside was bright with berries. In the feast-hall were poets, musicians with harps, a hundred warriors and hounds held by gold-linked chains. The guests drank wine from gem-encrusted gold goblets. The castle was burned on 3 May 1298 in an attack by the clan Muircheartaigh Uí Conchobhair (O’Connor). The Annals of Connacht for 1298 state- Brian Bregach Mag Samradain, chieftain of Tullyhaw, the most generous and valorous man of his time, was killed by Aed Brefnech O Conchobair and the Clan Murtagh in his own house at Coologe on the third day of summer.^[6] Sometime about 1400 the chief’s castle moved to Ballymagauran townland and Coologe Castle was given to the Tánaiste of the clan, which office Feidhlimidh held in 1586. Tánaiste was the Irish word for the heir of the chief (taoiseach), under the Gaelic system of tanistry.

Chieftainship

On the death of the McGovern chief, his brother Tomas Óg Mág Samhradháin, sometime after 1586, Feidhlimidh took the chieftaincy and moved from his home in Coologe to the chief’s residence in Ballymagauran. About 1602 the poet Aonghus Ruadh na nAor Ó Dálaigh was employed by the Lord Deputy of Ireland, Charles Blount, 8th Baron Mountjoy to go around among the few remaining chieftains and satirise them on their fallen estate in order to instigate enmity among them. Few of these chiefs were then able to maintain a poet in their household and O’Daly was glad of a job from anyone. However he later paid for his insolence by being assassinated. His satire on the McGoverns was-

The race of Samhradhan of small Boolies' [dairies].

And they all with little food;

A horde to whom the music of the fly is sweet;

A shamrock is in the mouth of every one of them.^[7]

Plantation of Ulster

In the Plantation of Ulster by grant dated 29 April 1611, King James VI and I granted the modern day townlands of Ballymagauran, Ballymagirril, Boley, Templeport, Camagh, Derrycassan, Gortaclogher, Gortnaleck, Killymoriarty, Killywillin, Porturlan and Sruhagh, to Phelim Magawran, but it is probable that the lands had been in the possession of the McGovern clan for several hundred years before this and it was just a Surrender and regrant confirming the existing title to the McGoverns.^[8]

Ballymagauran Castle

Under the terms of the Ulster Plantation grant, Feidhlimidh was obliged to build a new castle in Ballymagauran. In a visitation by George Carew, 1st Earl of Totnes in autumn 1611 he states that "Magauran had his own land given him on this division".^[9] By 1613 Feidhlimidh had progressed with building work. Sir Josias Bodley reported on 6 February 1613-"Proportion No. 31: 1,000 acres. Magauran is strongly seated, and near to his Irish house by a lough's side hath begun an English building of lime and stone of 40 feet long and 20 broad, not yet raised above the first story, but with this season intendeth to set it forward: There is round about it a trench and dike of earth and sod, which with little labour may be made of good strength, and that, it seemeth, by his beginning, he hath a purpose to do."^[10]

By 1619 Pynnar's Survey of Land Holders found that Feidhlimidh had built a castle on his holdings.^[11]

Death and Family

Feidhlimidh had at least two sons, Brian and Giolla na Naomh.

An Inquisition of King Charles I of England held in Cavan town on 4 October 1626 stated that the aforesaid Phelim Magawrane died on 20 January 1622 and his lands went to his son Brian who succeeded him as chief. Brian was aged 30 (born 1592) and married to Mary O’Brien.^[12] According to local tradition Feidhlimidh is buried on Inch Island in Templeport Lough.^[13]

A survey taken at Ballymagauran in August 1622 stated that- "Brian Magauran hath 1,000 acres in which is a bawn of sodds and within it a stone howse thatched, with chymneys and a part of it lofted. He setts his land from yeare to yeare to ye Irish, who plowgh by ye taile."

The castle that Felim Magauran erected after 1611 was besieged and destroyed by Oliver Cromwell's army in 1649. Sir William Petty’s Down Survey map of 1659 shows the castle in the townland of Dromkirke with inscription "Stone house in repair".^[14]

References